November 21, 2012

Fort McMurray: a diamond in the making

As part of OSQAR’s 100th edition milestone celebration, we asked Suncor employees to share with us their views and ideas on oil sands development.

Guest columnist, Tulika Gupta.

This week we are proud to feature employee guest writer, Tulika Gupta. Tulika is an electrical and computer engineer who recently joined Suncor as part of the Fort McMurray-based project controls team where she is involved with change management, review of contractor reports and coordination with other project functions. Tulika is passionate about the energy industry and a strong supporter of her community. We thank Tulika for taking the time to share her perspective with us.

A community of change

It takes millions of years for coal to transform under pressure and heat into diamond. But, what a transformation it is! From something brittle and dark and unsure of itself to something clear and unbreakable. I spent about four years in Toronto and decided to move to Fort McMurray to join Suncor in the project controls field team at the Voyageur project. I was here in the summer of 2009 as an intern, and I have seen tremendous progress since then.

Scenery and lifestyle. It is one of the most scenic and beautiful places I have seen. If you are a photographer, the sky every single day is breathtaking and the valley is beautiful. It is so different from the city life I have witnessed. The trails I walk in … there is something surreal about it when you can step out of your work or home and end up amidst nature and nothing else.

The image of Fort McMurray held by many outside the community. The rumours about Fort McMurray and the ‘tar sands’ have tarnished the reputation of a place that many people have not experienced first-hand. But despite what is said by anti-oil sands campaigners, efforts by industry to care for the community and the environment are, to me, incredible. For example, project planning includes keeping nesting seasons in mind. And new technologies being used to reclaim tailings ponds more rapidly are working.

Community access. Fort McMurray is a relatively remote community with traffic volumes that are not yet fully supported by current infrastructure.

Environmental management. In a beautiful city like this, it is hard to even believe there is any sort of environmental disturbance. Measures are taken to ensure sustainability and symbiotic living with nature.

Talented additions. There are more and more talented people arriving here every day. And they are warmly welcomed.

Fort McMurray is like a diamond, discovered in a mine somewhere. For now, it is just a bit dusty, unclear and uncut. However, when it’s ready, it will be brilliant.

Oil Sands Question and Response (OSQAR) is a blog created by Suncor Energy to support constructive dialogue about the oil sands. In our weekly posts, we talk about the energy industry, environmental impact, tailings management and reclamation, water management and the social and economic implications of oil sands development.

Our oil sands operations are near Fort McMurray, Alberta, where we recover bitumen from oil sands through mining and in situ operations. The bitumen from both operations is then upgraded to refinery-ready feedstock and diesel fuel. More about the where and the what of the oil sands can be found on our oil sands resource page.